Tuesday, June 10, 2008

With less than a week before the American Theatre Wing’s 62nd annual Tony Awards ceremonies honor the best of Broadway's 2007-08 Theatrical Season, it's time for me to place my wagers on those nominees I believe will actually win.

Last week, I offered up my picks for whom I thought should win, and in case you missed those, I'm providing every category below once more. But this time, you'll see the names on which I'd bet money will actually take home the lovely little Tony medallion come Sunday. My predictions are based as much on plenty of inside word as good old-fashioned hunches.

All totaled, I believe that my own personal picks for the year's best will match the Tony voters in a whopping 17 categories, while I think we're going to part company in 9 of them.

One category in which we'll differ is for Best Musical, and up until just a few days ago, I thought the momentum was going in favor of a third musical about the far reaches of Manhattan, but now -- thanks in part to a viral ad campaign -- I sense that voters may be skating in a new direction.

As previously mentioned, this is the first year in which I've seen every nominated work and performance. So while I'm no theatre professional, I profess to having an opinion on every last category. Let me know if you agree on whom you believe should and will win.

In a field crowded with plenty of heart, Passing Strangeoffers the biggest one of all in telling the infinitely smart and hip story of musician Stew's formative years all in his effort to be "real."

What can I say? I love this show and its gorgeous score still plays in my head long after I saw it.

Had A Catered Affair been nominated, it would have been a close call for me, but Passing Strange is my favorite new musical of the year.

Best Revival of a PlayBoeing-BoeingWill Win/Should WinThe HomecomingLes Liaisons DangereusesMacbeth

In a category in which three of my favorite revivals of plays were not even nominated (Cymbeline, Pygmalion, A Bronx Tale), I was heartened to see at least one of my picks up for the award.

Boeing-Boeing may not win due to a curse on comedies (although I think it will win). But don't for one minute think these actors aren't working every bit as hard as those in the other shows. It is the funniest show currently on Broadway.

If I had to choose an alternate pick, it would be The Homecoming thanks largely to its top drawer acting.

Best Revival of a MusicalGreaseGypsyShould WinRodgers & Hammerstein’s South PacificWill WinSunday In The Park With George

In any normal year, you'd likely never have to choose among three truly outstanding revivals in this category. Grease is the only smudge on this astonishing category.

As beautiful as I found South Pacific and Sunday In The Park With George, I was completely swept away by the artistry involved in this latest revival of Gypsy. Maybe it's because I've now seen it more than any other musical, but I've also never seen each of its characters more fully realized than those in this amazing incarnation.

When you direct the year's best show, it stands to reason that you'll be the person to beat for Best Director.

But Anna D. Shapiro more than earns this honor as she's taken a superb script and excellent ensemble and directed them into something unique that is both heartfelt and visceral. Its dramatic punch hits every bit as hard as the humor. Credit Shapiro with sharpening this play into a razor-edged, whip-smart American classic.

Best Direction of a MusicalSam Buntrock - Sunday In The Park With GeorgeThomas Kail - In The HeightsArthur Laurents - GypsyBartlett Sher - Rodgers & Hammerstein’s South PacificWill Win/Should Win

Here's the category about which I'm most conflicted. Make no mistake, I adore just about everything that Arthur Laurents has done to make Gypsy the absolute Best Revival of a Musical this year. But as someone who's now taken his third crack at the work -- and he's been nominated for the 1975 revival -- perhaps it's time to recognize someone else.

That someone else, of course, is Bartlett Sher, whose loving interpretation of South Pacificis both surprisingly innovative yet entirely natural, making his revival majestic. For a show in which racial bigotry is the issue, he also almost imperceptibly underscores the racial divide by slyly segregating what lonely African American troops inhabit this island to the sidelines.

I've had one dear friend question whether this is really a musical. Again, I fear that the ill-conceived marketing campaign has taken its toll at the box office.

But ostensibly, this is a musical through and through with the best new score of the year with lyrics that are among the most witty and intelligent offered by any show in years. Among its competition, In The Heights comes the closest.

Without a doubt, Rob Ashford's work was the best thing about Cry-Baby, and Andy Blankenbuehler certainly provided one of the year's most exhilarating displays of dance on stage in In The Heights, surely making him a Tony favorite. But try doing all that on wheels, and backwards while you're at it.

An essential part of Xanadu'sbrilliant magic is derived directly from Dan Knechtges' daring roller-boogie choreography. When you consider the miniscule stage of the Helen Hayes Theatre and the injuries notoriously inflicted on certain cast members negotiating their way across it in good old-fashioned roller skates, Knechtges' choreography was clearly fraught with danger. But the very essence of live theatre is danger. And it dazzled all the way.

While you may have thought I'd be inclined to go with Stew and Heidi Rodewald yet again (given my love for Passing Strange) it's time to give due props to In The Heights.

Taking Lin-Manuel Miranda's exuberent score and turning it into an even hotter than salsa hip-hop funk, Alex Lacamoire and Bill Sherman not only succeed in turning up the heat, but they've single-handedly taken In The Heights to the heights I had hoped the rest of the show would be.

Sure, another actor has received lots of acclaim for his performance in a Shakespeare revival, but it's the comic, farcical turn by one of the greatest living interpreters of Shakespeare who is keeping them laughing at the Longacre -- in his long overdue Broadway debut, no less -- who is far more worthy of this award. Mark Rylance is absolutely brilliant.

If there's a close race, it should be between Rylance and Rufus Sewell, who was by far the best thing going for the tedious Rock 'N' Roll. As a master of slapstick comedy, Rylance deserves the last laugh.

A very competitive category with Eve Best living up to her name, S. Epatha Merkerson turning in a surprisingly tender performance and the excellent Amy Morton going toe to toe with Deanna Dunagan in the year's best play.

Ultimately, it's Dunagan's breathtaking performance as the drug-addled matriarch Violet who should win the day. As I noted at the end of the last year, she gave one sensational, bravura performance for the ages.

Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a MusicalDaniel Evans - Sunday In The Park With GeorgeLin-Manuel Miranda - In The HeightsStew - Passing StrangePaulo Szot - Rodgers & Hammerstein’s South PacificWill Win/Should WinTom Wopat - A Catered AffairAs wondrous a Broadway debut as Daniel Evans offered and as nuanced a performance as Tom Wopat gave, it was South Pacific's Paulo Szot who singlehandedly delivered one enchanted evening, bringing on the tears through his rendition of "This Nearly Was Mine."

As the consummate leading man, Szot also has proven once and for all that the world of opera isn't quite so far away from that of theatre. Let's hope he makes it a habit.

Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a MusicalKerry Butler - XanaduPatti LuPone - GypsyWill Win/Should WinKelli O’Hara - Rodgers & Hammerstein’s South PacificFaith Prince - A Catered AffairJenna Russell - Sunday In The Park With George

What is it about the ladies, anyway?! And I mean that with the utmost respect.

By far the most competitive category with powerhouse performances through and through, all are deserving of the Tony. But this is no ordinary year, and since Gypsy is no ordinary musical, one performance managed to eclipse the rest: Patti LuPone as a Rose who was at once sympathetic, conniving, sexy, funny, tragic and repulsive all at the same time. Brava, Patti! Brava!

Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a PlayBobby Cannavale - MauritiusRaúl Esparza - The HomecomingConleth Hill - The SeafarerJim Norton - The SeafarerWill Win/Should WinDavid Pittu - Is He Dead?

I realize that there may be a sympathy vote out there for Raúl Esparza, whom many (including me) feel got gypped out of a Tony last year. Indeed, as great as his slithery performance in The Homecoming was, if Tony voters are serious about awarding the best performance of this year, they really need to choose between Conleth Hill and Jim Norton of The Seafarer.

My pick is the breathtaking Jim Norton, who more than convinced me he had literally drunk himself blind. There's a reason why his performance was earlier awarded with an Olivier. It was superb.

In yet another competitive category for actresses, it's easy to think that if Rondi Reed wins, it'll be because of the strong pull of the tide from the August: Osage County juggernaut.

But her Mattie Fae is so deliciously complex and real and flat-out funny thanks to Reed's outstanding performance that you'd be forgiven for thinking of her as your favorite crazy aunt. Reed offers one of the year's best performances.

Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a MusicalDaniel Breaker - Passing StrangeShould WinDanny Burstein - Rodgers & Hammerstein’s South PacificRobin De Jesús - In The HeightsChristopher Fitzgerald - Young FrankensteinBoyd Gaines - GypsyWill Win

Among the men, this should be the most competitive category -- I certainly enjoyed each of the outstanding performances offered by the actors above.

But one actor breaking away from the rest of the pack is Passing Strange's Daniel Breaker, whose astonishing breakthrough role of Youth blew me away. Breaker conveys volumes with a simple roll of his eyes and displays a natural presence found far too infrequently on the stage. He made Passing Strange come alive.Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musicalde’Adre Aziza - Passing StrangeLaura Benanti - GypsyWill Win/Should WinAndrea Martin - The New Mel Brooks Musical Young FrankensteinOlga Merediz - In The HeightsLoretta Ables Sayre - Rodgers & Hammerstein’s South Pacific

Hands down, this award belongs to Laura Benanti in her best, most poignant performance yet.

As Louise, Benanti begins as a doe-eyed innocent, always eager to please, never fathoming her hidden talents or beauty. To watch her transition to the world's most famous stripper is to witness a major star claiming her rightful place in the spotlight.

Todd Rosenthal's three-story work for August: Osage County was pretty lofty in its own right, but Pask's set design effectively took me back to 18th Century France.

Best Scenic Design of a MusicalDavid Farley and Timothy Bird & The Knifedge Creative Network - Sunday In The Park With GeorgeWill Win/Should WinAnna Louizos - In The HeightsRobin Wagner - The New Mel Brooks Musical Young FrankensteinMichael Yeargan - Rodgers & Hammerstein’s South PacificIn a field crowded with very worthy nominees (yes, includingYoung Frankenstein), one team stands brilliantly apart.

Initially, necessity became Sunday In The Park With George's mother of invention. In its earliest incarnation as the musical was strapped for cash, Tim Bird and The Knifedge Creative Network helped fill in the blanks of David Farley's effectively colorless set design with an enthralling, radiant projection design that is unequivocally the true star of the show. Together, they have made this tuner a gorgeous work of art worthy of a great master.

Best Costume Design of a PlayGregory Gale - Cyrano de BergeracRob Howell - Boeing-BoeingShould WinKatrina Lindsay - Les Liaisons DangereusesWill WinPeter McKintosh - The 39 StepsPulling double duty, Rob Howell's ingenious and vibrant red, blue and yellow set and costume designs literally help set the stage for the three flight attendants served up in this tour de farce.

Even though Howell's designs go hand-in-hand, he's only been awarded one nomination. For all of his first-class work, he gets my vote as the best.

One of the key reasons why this Gypsy sparkles so brilliantly is because of Martin Pakledinaz's never-ending razzle-dazzling costume designs ranging from the frumpy to the fabulous.

Even though this is a revival, and we've seen variations on these designs before, Pakledinaz makes them all seem vividly fresh and real, whether it's the unholy trinity of Mazeppa, Electra and Tessie Tura or the metamorphosis of Louise into Gypsy Rose Lee. Stunning. Absolutely stunning.

There's some serious competition here, but I have to narrow my choices down to Donald Holder and Ann G. Wrightson. My nod must go to the latter.

Whether it was the portentous flashes from the squad car or the flicker of the never-seen television set, Wrightson's subtle illuminations helped drive the drama and humor of August: Osage County even further.

Best Lighting Design of a MusicalKen Billington - Sunday In The Park With GeorgeHowell Binkley - In The HeightsDonald Holder - Rodgers & Hammerstein’s South PacificWill Win/Should WinNatasha Katz - The Little Mermaid

There's also some stiff competition in this lighting category. Here, my choices come down to Howell Binkley and Donald Holder, both of whom expertly captured the movement of the sun into nighttime.

But Holder's artistry in evoking each blissful moment of this gorgeous revival with perfectly drawn brilliance makes South Pacific absolutely radiant. Close call here, but Holder gets my nod.

Finally, acknowledgement for the vital work that goes into providing essential sound designs for Broadway shows. This is the first year awards will be bestowed in this category.

While something tells me that the Tony voters will go with the more bombastic (read: LOUD) nominee, whose work often drowned-out the already difficult-to-hear language of the Bard, it was Mic Pool's integral sound design that enabled The 39 Steps' audience to sense where this comedy was going in spite of its simple set design.

Two words: shower scene. Scott Leher somehow managed to mic Kelli O'Hara in such a way that she lathered up and effortlessly sang "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Out Of My Hair" in a shower. Without getting electrocuted.

Oh, and the rest of his sound design was pretty fantastic, too.

Whoopi Goldberg will host the 2008 Tony Awards on Sunday, June 15. The CBS broadcast begins at 8 p.m. EDT.

11 Comments:

Gil, You and I may agree that the viral campaign is usually not all that funny, and in fact may be a bit annoying, but the truth is that folks are eating it up. And let's not forget how the same folks ate up the campaign for Avenue Q a few short years ago. Since we already know Xanadu is a favorite of many, the campaign may be just enough to tip it over the finish line.

Are they in fact eating it up? OK... I suppose there are many on the message boards who have been loving this stuff, but I have to disagree with you on your comparison to the Avenue Q/Wicked thing. It's a little different this year.

With Avenue Q, they did a "you should vote for us because you truly do think we're the better show". Not too different from Xanadu's campaign today, I suppose. But during that famous pizza party at Johns, they also basically said, "you out-of-towners should vote for us because you already know Wicked is going to play well on tour, but if Avenue Q wins the tony, then it will also play well on tour." In other words, they were submitting it as a win-win scenario... vote for Avenue Q, and you get *two* shows that play well afterwards.

Now under the really broad assumption that the whole which-show-does-well-out-of-town thing is entirely based on which one wins Best Musical, then the out-of-towners who want to vote for a show that will fill their touring seats don't get that win/win scenario that Avenue Q was presenting. They're probably skipping over Passing Strange (sigh) and looking at whether In The Heights or Xanadu plays better across the country. I think those who want to see Xanadu on tour will already plan to see it Tony or not, so the out-of-town theater owners I think will still go for In The Heights.

Oh, and don't get me wrong, I'm just trying to play Oracle, I really loved Xanadu. I wish the Cubby things were as genius as Xanadu's book.

I was going to say something about how Tony voters, with all of their decades of experience and theatrical expertise, would never be swayed by a marketing campaign, no matter how funny. But now that you mention Avenue Q ...

I haven't seen Xanadu. As much as I like and admire Passing Strange, and as clever and poignant as I think the songs are, In the Heights is the musical that really won my heart. Even though the Cubby buzz has overtaken it a bit, I think it'll pull ahead for the win.

But the category I'm most excited about is Best Featured Actress in a Musical. I'm really pulling for Rondi Reed. Besides giving a terrific performance, I'll always remember the half-hour (at least!) we spent with her at the stage door. What a delightful, funny, gracious and talented woman.

Gil, Appreciate the rationale counterpoint. And I agree in theory with what you've laid out for the Avenue Q/Wicked race, even if the former took its marbles and headed to Vegas first in an infamous b****-slap to the curb of the out-of-towners.

Xanadu's little campaign has embraced those very out-of-towners. They're feeling the love. And I'm also guessing that they're not quite so sure how well this "sure-bet" will actually go on tour.

Again, just a hunch, but I'm hearing plenty of chatter singing and Ka-chinging the familiar strains of "Xanadu."

Of course, I'm personally holding out hope that Passing Strange will ultimately be the beneficiary here.

Only six days ‘til the Tony Awards! That gives you approximately 144 hours to place bets, bake award-shaped sheet cakes and get that seven layer dip recipe from your Aunt Margaret (I’m only assuming you have an Aunt Margaret)!

Anyway!

Just wanted to give a heads up to Tony junkies that we’ll actually be live-blogging from the event on Sunday (we’re excited!).

Also, we’ve posted a ton of videos so you can meet the nominees and see clips of the shows nominated before flipping on the television Sunday night. This afternoon, Best Play will be posted as our final installment. Just head on over to http://mybroadway.com/ and tap the “channels” button!

I said it before and I will say it again, In the Heights will win BEST MUSICAL. Avenue Q won as a counter-reaction to the Wicked hysteria. As much as I loved Xanadu, I just don't see voters voting for another low-budget musical.

Broadway's 2010-11 Theatrical Season

About Me

As someone who has been involved in both politics and public relations, it's no wonder I love watching theatre. Good or bad, it's the raw energy of seeing a live performance that gets my adrenaline pumping. From the moment I saw my very first Broadway show ("Annie" in London in 1979), I was hooked. Now I see as many as 70 shows each year ranging from soaring musicals to two-hander plays. And these eyes just may be in an audience near you!